Ride quality control

[1FORDy3rd]

I love my Tremor but tiny little expansion joints on the highway make it feel like an old wagon. Especially the rear end. I’ve aired down as low as 40psi. This helps but mpg gets bad. I keep them now at 50psi.
So here’s the question:
Will the ride be considerably better by upgrading to better shocks like a Bilstein, Fox, Icon, etc..?
I don’t really want to change to a lighter spring as I do tow and haul and not interested in air bags.

 

[R32GT-R]

to answer your question.. to change shocks it likely wont help as much as you would hope.

Shocks can only do so much, if you upgrade to a regressive/digressive type shock the expansion joints will feel worse, if you go with a linear type shock it will help a bit, but at the end of the days its the springs that are firm because they need to carry weight.

a linear type shock like fox 2.0 or king would be your best bet

i plan to leave mine stock as trying to smoothen a ride is long and expensive road to go down... not to mention you may improve one aspect of the ride/handling but guarantee you will introduce a compromise somewhere too... like more sway or nose dive on braking

 

[ibeb]

I have noticed some improvement with my change over to Bilstein 5100's at 11.7k miles. The OEM shocks were soft and just let the truck just keep bouncing and it would just increase as I went down the highway.

I haven't towed with them yet, but they did help with the porpoising on my 150 when I swapped the rears out.

 

[Jericho]

Night and Day difference. However, you lose payload capacity. If heavy towing is a requirement you can add air bags.

Carli Ford F250/F350 Super Duty 2017+ Full Progressive Leaf Springs - Leveling

Carli Full Progressive Leaf Springs for 2017+ Ford F250/F350 - Leveling Height

www.cjcoffroad.com

Bags aren't going to help with the capacity, just the sag.

 

[Bram]

Look into sulastic shackles , ordered a set , haven't been able to try them myself . There's a member on here that added them and reported it helped with those expansion gaps.

 

[MarkWattsOregon]

I love my Tremor but tiny little expansion joints on the highway make it feel like an old wagon. Especially the rear end. I’ve aired down as low as 40psi. This helps but mpg gets bad. I keep them now at 50psi.
So here’s the question:
Will the ride be considerably better by upgrading to better shocks like a Bilstein, Fox, Icon, etc..?
I don’t really want to change to a lighter spring as I do tow and haul and not interested in air bags.

You might want to check into sulastic shackles.

They are direct replacements for OEM fixed shackles that add torque articulation, to help soak up smaller impacts just as you are describing. The mass of leaf springs prevent quick enough response to smooth out what the sulastic shackles can easily take care of.

Fastest way to visually explore what they can do for you is on YouTube.

 

[Farmtrk]

Have you tried sandbags or weight in the bed yet?

 

[1FORDy3rd]

Have you tried sandbags or weight in the bed yet?

Yea I’ve had about 1000lbs of corn in the bed. Rode great but I don’t really want to leave extra weight in it

 

[knaffie]

I can't speak for this truck specifically, but on my 2015, I bought Fox 2.0 shocks valved specifically for a better ride. They made zero difference. ZERO. I ended up selling them for half what I paid for them after a couple weeks and put the factory shocks back on. It can be difficult to make a heavy duty truck ride better without reducing the spring rate. And if you do that, it will not haul or tow as well.

 

[RedZilla]

You might want to check into sulastic shackles.

They are direct replacements for OEM fixed shackles that add torque articulation, to help soak up smaller impacts just as you are describing. The mass of leaf springs prevent quick enough response to smooth out what the sulastic shackles can easily take care of.

Fastest way to visually explore what they can do for you is on YouTube.

I want to second this response. You will not get more satisfaction for the price than you will with Sulastic shackles. They are an easy 2 hour DIY install. Just watch a video or two.

I installed a set about a month ago and would never drive a one ton again without them. Absolutely no change your ride height or capacity and the truck feels like a half ton regarding the road joints and rumble strips. You're still going to feel the big bumps but the mild stuff that's so annoying in the heavy duty trucks almost disappear completely. No added weight needed. Trust me, you will be amazed!

For our model year trucks the shackles are side specific and there is definitely an order of installation steps that works best. Search the forum as somewhere I wrote up and explanation for the install.

PS - I found the post with my explanation: https://www.fordtremor.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tremor-today.69/page-83#post-113292

 

[Tx-Tremor6.7]

I removed the giant factory 3.5" blocks and went with Deaver Progressive Add-a-Packs under my main leaf springs, while maintaining the overload leaf above. My truck rides like an F150 when unloaded, and it tows like any other F350 SRW as I did not lose any of the factory load carrying capacity.

Even with the 1-ton leafs, the truck still sags when carrying a heavy load, so I added Air Lift airbags with an onboard wireless controller to keep it level.

Deaver Add-a-Packs before I added the airbags:

Air Lift 5000 lb Ultimate airbags:

Air Lift WirelessOne Controller on Passenger side:

 

[MTmudrunner]

I removed the giant factory 3.5" blocks and went with Deaver Progressive Add-a-Packs under my main leaf springs, while maintaining the overload leaf above. My truck rides like an F150 when unloaded, and it tows like any other F350 SRW as I did not lose any of the factory load carrying capacity.

Even with the 1-ton leafs, the truck still sags when carrying a heavy load, so I added Air Lift airbags with an onboard wireless controller to keep it level.

Deaver Add-a-Packs before I added the airbags:
View attachment 35096

Air Lift 5000 lb Ultimate airbags:
View attachment 35097

Air Lift WirelessOne Controller on Passenger side:
View attachment 35100

Nice setup I have never been a fan of tall blocks too much axle wrap when in deep snow, pretty sure I'm going this direction with mine if I ever get it.

 

[Tx-Tremor6.7]

Nice setup I have never been a fan of tall blocks too much axle wrap when in deep snow, pretty sure I'm going this direction with mine if I ever get it.

Yes!! The axle wrap when towing heavy is exactly why I wanted to remove the factory blocks. The progressive leafs under the main leaf springs really smooth out the ride and softens the harshness over large bumps.

Don't get me wrong, it is still a SD truck, but it rides much better in all situations.

 

[MTmudrunner]

Yes!! The axle wrap when towing heavy is exactly why I wanted to remove the factory blocks. The progressive leafs under the main leaf springs really smooth out the ride and softens the harshness over large bumps.

Don't get me wrong, it is still a SD truck, but it rides much better in all situations.

I don't worry too much about the ride quality more into functionality after all I drive a Oshkosh mixer truck every day so anything rides better than that.

 

[Hopsferdays]

I want to second this response. You will not get more satisfaction for the price than you will with Sulastic shackles. They are an easy 2 hour DIY install. Just watch a video or two.

I installed a set about a month ago and would never drive a one ton again without them. Absolutely no change you ride height or capacity and the truck feels like a half ton regarding the road joints and rumble strips. You're still going to feel the big bumps but the mild stuff that's so annoying in the heavy duty trucks almost disappear completely. No added weight needed. Trust me, you will be amazed!

For our model year trucks the shackles are side specific and there is definitely an order of installation steps that works best. Search the forum as somewhere I wrote up and explanation for the install.
View attachment 35090

PS - I found the post with my explanation: https://www.fordtremor.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tremor-today.69/page-83#post-113292

What part number are they for the shackles? I will definitely be getting some of these on order after stumbling onto this page.

 

[1FORDy3rd]

What part number are they for the shackles? I will definitely be getting some of these on order after stumbling onto this page.

I second this. Their webpage isn’t very straight forward. It looks like it may be the SA-06F. I’ll reach out to them to clarify.

 

[Jericho]

I second this. Their webpage isn’t very straight forward. It looks like it may be the SA-06F. I’ll reach out to them to clarify.

I have as well.
I'll post when I get a reply.

 

[RedZilla]

What part number are they for the shackles? I will definitely be getting some of these on order after stumbling onto this page.

I second this. Their webpage isn’t very straight forward. It looks like it may be the SA-06F. I’ll reach out to them to clarify.

Hey guys, these are the ones that fit perfectly, same price and shipping as buying direct from the company:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SQH5FHT?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

Edit - factory page: https://www.sulastic.com/en/sa-06hdf-sulastic-shackle-for-rear-axle-sa-06hdf

 

[Cropgun]

Yea I’ve had about 1000lbs of corn in the bed. Rode great but I don’t really want to leave extra weight in it

The reality of your situation is that you purchased a heavy duty truck with a 1 ton rear suspension. Its going to ride like shit. The truck was designed to haul weight. When empty its not going to ride its best. Weight in the bed will be the cheapest way to help.

 

[Cropgun]

I want to second this response. You will not get more satisfaction for the price than you will with Sulastic shackles. They are an easy 2 hour DIY install. Just watch a video or two.

I installed a set about a month ago and would never drive a one ton again without them. Absolutely no change you ride height or capacity and the truck feels like a half ton regarding the road joints and rumble strips. You're still going to feel the big bumps but the mild stuff that's so annoying in the heavy duty trucks almost disappear completely. No added weight needed. Trust me, you will be amazed!

For our model year trucks the shackles are side specific and there is definitely an order of installation steps that works best. Search the forum as somewhere I wrote up and explanation for the install.
View attachment 35090

PS - I found the post with my explanation: https://www.fordtremor.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tremor-today.69/page-83#post-113292

Will Sulastic shackles work with the deaver packs?